PerformingVIEW By Kaye Osborn
Gearing up for the second month of the year! Hope you were able to catch some productions in January. February has a plethora of offerings! Please check the Modesto View calendar at the end of each issue. And people say there is nothing to do in Modesto?
I am showcasing one special event happening on Feb. 17 and Feb. 18 at the MartinPeterson Event Center Ernest Zulia’s adaption of Robert Fulgham’s wonderful book All I Needed to Learn, I Learned in Kindergarten. It is a brainchild of director Kimberly Ogden. She is the person responsible for discovering a book about Children of the Dust Bowl that was professionally performed and embraced last fall at the Gallo Center for the Arts.
Kimberly first produced this show last fall at Valley Christian High School in Dublin. The high school performers did an admirable job but a lot of material was beyond the reach of their years. All I Really Need to Know focuses on the milestone of our live and the experiences that form our character. The things we learn about ourselves on life’s journey and the common ground that connects all of us. It is not a straight narrative but rather a string of vignettes illustrating a snap shot in time. The vignettes run the gamut from silly to sublime. The script is heart touching and pert. The show is presented as a Readers Theater and for those unaware of this particular style, it is drama presented through story telling. Musical performances are woven throughout that enrich and enhance the evening. The show is a fundraiser for the Stanislaus Literacy Center. There will be Silent Auctions both nights.
All ILearned features three seasoned performers familiar to Modesto audiences. I was selected to perform in this event and have performed in many local productions, last seen in Prospect Theater’s acclaimed To Kill a Mockingbird at the Gallo Center. Charlene West, was most recently seen in A Delicate Balance at Prospect Theater and Children of the Dust Bowl at the Gallo Center. Daniel Ogden is making his return to the stage after performing in many MJC productions. Don Lundy is retired from Superior Court. He is an accomplished musician. This is his first dramatic presentation. Two musicians Stephanie King and Megan Osborn from Turlock complete the cast.
Friday, Feb. 17 $25 7:00 PM Wine and Cheese Reception, 8:00 PM Performance Saturday, Feb. 18 $30 This show will be INTERPRETED FOR THE DEAF. 6:00 PM Dinner, 7:30 PM performance
Peterson Event Center 720 12th St., Modest Parking available across the street Tickets available by calling (209) 522-0656 Or online at www.readingworks.net
To find other great stage performances at the Prospect, Gallo Center and others, log on to www.modestoview.com
